Sun Fatt Kee (Sisters' Curry Laksa) @ Seapark PJ

A stall in this coffee shop, located behind Seapark's Maybank, has (reportedly) been dishing out a mean curry laksa for more than 2 decades.  It is none other than the famous Sisters' Curry Laksa in Restoran Sun Fatt Kee @ Seapark PJ (not to be confused with the equally famous or legendary Sisters' Curry Mee in Penang).

When you approach the stall, you'll see that it's adorned with numerous newspaper clippings (both in English and Chinese) which is a tell-tale sign that the stall is highly popular.  The stall also sells beef noodles which I have yet to try.

This was my husband's bowl of Meehoon/Mee Curry Laksa @ RM7 (for big, small is RM6) which comes with shredded chicken, "see hum" (blood cockles), "tau fu pok" (bean curd puffs), long beans and bean sprouts.  Actually, the 'big' here is more like a 'small'!

And this was my bowl of Meehoon/Mee Curry Laksa with Poached Chicken @ RM10 (big also...and this portion size was, at least, worthy of its name and more fulfilling)!  I always opt for poached chicken pcs instead of shredded chicken with my curry laksa and it didn't disappoint at all...the poached chicken was very "wat" (smooth) and tender....I loved it =)  They also have an option of beef curry laksa (after all, they sell beef noodles).

The blood cockles, on the other hand, were very fresh and juicy and you can request for more (at a price, of course).  Didn't need to pay for more as my husband's cockles ended up in my bowl (and the lime too)....gimme more, gimme more!! ;D

This curry broth version, with a squeeze of lime, is lighter than the curry laksa at Imbi coz it's not as heavily laden with "santan" (coconut milk) but still aromatic and flavourful.  It's also less oily.  I did enjoy it though my husband still prefers the Imbi one as that one is thicker and has more santan flavour!

The only drawback is that there is no "sambal" (cooked chilli paste) provided for you to enhance the spiciness of the curry laksa.  What I got instead is a fresh chilli paste that you'd usually eat with beef noodles...and you know that's not going to work :(

My Personal Opinion

For those who prefer a lighter non-spicy version of curry laksa, you'll probably find this more to your liking...definitely a worthy curry laksa adversary ;-)  Go for the one with poached chicken for a more satisfying bowl.

Although the one from Mei Sin (Imbi) is still a notch higher and my personal preference for its more savoury and robust flavour, nevertheless, it's fair to say that this is still a very decent bowl of curry laksa by many standards.  It's still good.....it's just different!

Restoran Sun Fatt Kee
2-28 Jalan 21/11B Seapark
46300 Petaling Jaya
Selangor

Starz Kitchen @ Pavilion

If you like Hong Kong food, the newly opened Starz Kitchen @ Pavilion may be just the place for you.  Commencing business last month (on a trial run), this restaurant founded by Hong Kong singing stars, Alan Tam and Hacken Lee, had its official opening last week (20 March 2015).

These best friends now have 3 outlets in Hong Kong and expanded overseas last year, one in Shanghai and one in Macau...and now they've made their way to our shores.

The restaurant looks classy from the plush ambience to the elegant table setting.  It's divided into 2 parts with the back portion separated by a passageway that is the kitchen (on your right) and a wall adorned by framed pictures of the two Hong Kong superstars (on the left).  The back portion looks a bit more swanky (and is colder) than the front. 

It offers Cantonese delicacies like dim sum, congee, noodles, BBQ meats and dishes you can eat with rice.  I went with the house speciality of shrimp wonton noodles in soup @ RM12.80 (for small) which comes with 4 wontons (RM16.80 for large with 6 wontons).

The texture of the noodles was excellent...very thin and perfectly cooked!  Only drawback was I detected a strong taste of "kansui" (alkaline solution typically used in noodles preparation to change the colour and texture of the noodles).  Now, I know why the noodles were firmer and chewier...but the kansui taste obviously wasn't to my liking! :'(  I could even smell it when I brought it close to my nose.  The kansui taste was so strong that I could even taste it in the steaming hot soup.  I'm not sure if the flavour of the soup wasn't that great to begin with or because the kansui taste made it worse. 

Luckily, the shrimp wontons were very good...you get a sizeable prawn with a small amount of minced pork wrapped in a thin skin.  I enjoyed these very much ;)

But the overall dish was very small in terms of portion size (even a small eater can easily finish 2 small bowls).

My son had the Roast Pork Belly (Siew Yoke) Rice @ RM16.80 and he wasn't exactly jumping for joy.  At almost similar prices, I can get a way better siew yoke at Wong Kee.

The siew yoke version here is more on the lean side with a slightly crispy skin but sodium-lacking in taste.  Let's just say the flavour is 'cleaner' (or bland to some).  We won't be singing praises about it as there are a lot better ones than this.  Plus, you won't be very happy when you see that the prices for an individual order of siew yoke or char siew is RM25 (and RM40 for a combo of 2 meats).

You'll find these condiments of soy sauce, vinegar, pepper and a fresh chilli paste on the table.

The fresh chilli paste is not the usual tasting chilli-garlic sauce that we're accustomed to with our barbecued meats.  This one I didn't like at all...it tasted one-dimensional....seriously spicy!

I love century eggs and wanted to try the preserved egg in jelly (RM15) but the waiter came back to inform me that they had run out for the day.  So, I replaced it with another starter of Fried Wontons in Sweet & Sour Sauce @ RM16.80.

Again, the wontons saved the day...it was fresh and crispy....but there were only 8 pcs!

You can see that the wonton was filled with a whole prawn (of decent size) and a tiny bit of minced pork underneath.

I've had Hong Kong-type milk tea before but didn't enjoy it but this Hot Milk Tea @ RM5.90, surprisingly I liked.

Although it was dinner on a weekend night, service was attentive but slow even when the restaurant was like half full.  The wait staff kept coming back to check our order chit but yet my noodles took a long time to arrive.

#A Side Story:
And the funny thing was, I saw the waitress clearing the sugar sticks from our table (my milk tea came with 3 sticks and I used just one).  Although I didn't physically see her put the sugar sticks back but, when I turned around, it wasn't in her hands anymore.  I suspect she did salvage the sugar sticks, otherwise why clear just that and not our empty plates?  This act made them look a bit cheapskate to me...I hope it was worth it for just 2 sticks of raw sugar!!  Even if they had wanted to do that, they should have been more discreet (like let the customer leave first before clearing everything from the table).

After spending close to RM70 (though I wouldn't say that the amount was alarmingly high but it kind of is for just 3 small portions of food), we still left with half empty (or half full) stomachs (we could have easily eaten another 3 portions and still be not full).  We got ourselves a pretzel, 3 curry puffs and a packet of nasi lemak on our way home...that was how hungry we still were! T_T

My Personal Opinion

Most of the single orders of noodles, congee and rice are priced around RM13 - RM18...on hindsight, these may seem even reasonable (taking into consideration the 'upmarket' look of the place).  But, I think the prices will still be a talking point for many...because of the small portion sizes.  I'm ok with the prices being slightly on the upper end (because of the dining comfort and environment)....but the food has got to be able to entice us to begin with...and the few that I've tasted sadly didn't :'(

My initial assessment is that the flavours are not bold and punchy enough and (so) the place would probably appeal to those who prefer their food to be more subtle in flavour...or those who are 'die-hard' fans of Alan Tam and Hacken Lee, perhaps.

However, I shall refrain from passing judgement (for now) since I've not tasted their other well known specialities...and that's their congee and dim sum.

Let's just say we weren't off to a great start....with the noodles and BBQ meat...ouch!!  But, at such prices and portion sizes, I'm not sure if I'll want to come back! :p

Starz Kitchen
Lot 7.01.02 Level 7 Pavilion KL
168 Jalan Bukit Bintang
55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2110 6383

#ewew makes Mixed Salad with Roasted Sesame Dressing

Taking inspiration from The Yum List on healthy eating options, I decided to make a Mixed Salad with Roasted Sesame Dressing.  I always resort to making salads for lunch whenever I can (or when I feel a wee bit guilty after indulging in unhealthy food) + I actually love eating salads.

I've always enjoyed salads tossed in a sesame and vinaigrette dressing when dining out and (so) decided to go get a bottle after I saw it on Phong Hong's blog.

Ingredients:

1/2 a 125g bag of mixed salad leaves
6 cherry tomatoes (red & yellow)
3 chicken fillets
1 egg
A handful of Chinese coriander
A handful of walnuts
Extra virgin olive oil
A squeeze of lemon juice
Salt & black pepper

Preparation:

Season the chicken fillets with salt and black pepper.  [#Tip: I like to use chicken fillets as I find that they're (still a bit dry but) not as dry as chicken breasts...this is supposed to be a healthy salad, so must stick with a lean cut of chicken :p]

Finely chop some Chinese coriander (discard the stalks).

Prepare the vinaigrette with a glug of extra virgin olive oil, season with salt and black pepper to taste and a good squeeze of lemon juice.  Jamie Oliver always puts his vinaigrette in a bottle (and I've always wanted to do that)...and so I did!  It's so convenient...close the lid and shake the bottle.

Cut the cherry tomatoes into half (I cut mine lengthwise).

Method:

Pan-fry the chicken fillets in extra virgin olive oil.

Add the finely chopped Chinese coriander into a beaten egg.  Fry the egg in some extra virgin olive oil.

Slice the cooked chicken fillets and coriander omelette.  [#Tip: I know that a coriander omelette may seem strange to some but, if you like the fragrance of coriander, this omelette adds a perfumy note to the salad.]

Toast a handful of walnuts for 2 - 3 mins until you get a bit of colour on your walnuts (I do this in a toaster oven).

Empty half the bag of the ready mixed salad into a large bowl.  I've not enjoyed my previous salads as much until I found this one that contains a mixture of crisp lettuce, butter hearts, red coral, radicchio, red oak leaf and wild rocket (by Genting Garden) probably because it's a mixture of salad leaves (so not as boring as just one or two types of leaves).  I also like to get this one because of the convenience...yay, it's triple washed (you know)...so, I can trust that no further rinsing whatsoever is required (I hate washing salad leaves coz if you don't drain them well, your salad is ruined)! :(

Next, add the cut cherry tomatoes, toasted walnuts, sliced chicken fillets and coriander omelette.  

This is the bottle of Kewpie Deep-roasted Sesame Dressing (RM13.90 for 170ml) which is similar to the one Phong Hong got (but mine is in Japanese and it's deep-roasted)....more authentic kua...kekeke!! ;D  Pour the vinaigrette over the salad leaves and add a drizzle of roasted sesame dressing (be careful not to put too much as the sesame paste is quite salty...do a taste test).  Toss everything together!  [#Tip: Always dress your salad at the last min (when you're ready to eat) to prevent the leaves from going limp.]

And here's my ready-to-eat Mixed Salad with Chicken, Coriander Omelette and Walnuts in a Roasted Sesame Dressing...phew, that's a mouthful!  It's pretty and colourful too, don't you think?

I've not enjoyed the previous salads I made as much coz I used just a simple vinaigrette (of olive oil, salt, black pepper and lemon juice) as the dressing.  I like it a lot better as it's a lot more flavourful with the roasted sesame paste.

The other reason why I liked this more is because of the use of mixed salad leaves and the addition of the coriander omelette and toasted walnuts.  All the different mixed salad leaves brought a different flavour to the salad...and coupled with the fragrant coriander omelette and crunch of the walnuts, this was a good salad :-)

Serves 1 (as a main meal) or 2 - 3 (as a side salad)



BBQ Kong Meng (Duck Rice) @ Taman Maju Jaya

I was first introduced to this place by an ex-colleague of mine about 8 years ago and I've been frequenting this place ever since as it's just a stone's throw away from where I live.  But if you're not from the area, the place is a bit isolated as it's not visible from the main road.

But I haven't been here for a while now and (so) decided to revisit Restoran BBQ Kong Meng @ Taman Maju Jaya recently.  The restaurant is just a small old shop but, at least, it's air-conditioned with a few tables outside.

Although this restaurant is a barbecued meat place and serves "siew yoke" (roast pork) and "char siew" (barbecued pork), they're most famous for their "siew ngap" (roast duck).  Just look at that beautiful display of roast ducks!

Of course, a must-order here is the duck.  This is the Quarter Duck @ RM18 which can feed 2 - 3 people but some can even wallop this on their own! ;D  And that sauce that you find at the bottom of the plate...it's liquid gold, very flavourful.  Spoon it over your rice, don't waste a drop!

What I love most about this roast duck is the super crispy skin...and that's because they bathe it in hot oil just before serving (if you're seated inside the restaurant, you'll notice the ducks passing you by to the back of the kitchen for this very purpose).

And because of this extra step they're willing to take, the duck comes out with a beautifully crisp skin every time.

Here's a close-up shot of the crispy skin I removed from the piece of duck above....yumsss!

Other than the skin, I really, really like the taste of the tender meat.  I've eaten many ducks where the inside is rubbed with too much five spice powder (with a combination of some other herbal spices) rendering the meat salty and with an overpowering taste of spice.  This was not one of those :)

The third reason why BBQ Kong Meng's duck is a standout for me is because there's very little fat between the meat and skin, especially the breast meat.  I hate those with a lot of fat trapped between the meat and the skin (and I've eaten my fair share of those before).  And if there should be a wee bit more fat, it'd be in the drumstick portion.

You know me, I'm not a "breast" person and I never ever order chicken breast when I have chicken rice but with duck, it's a whole different ball game.  Somehow, with duck breast (which is also easier to eat), it doesn't come off as dry + the ones here are very tender.  So, I love, love, love breast when it comes to duck! ;D  [#Tip: If you were to pack an individual packet of duck rice and asked for the breast, it'll cost you more!]

The price for their roast ducks has increased steadily over the years and the prices are stated (on the menu on the wall) in Chinese...and since I don't know Chinese, all I remembered were the numbers I saw...31, 45 and 60.  So, my guess would be....half a duck costs RM31, three quarters is priced @ RM45 and a whole duck will set you back RM60...certainly not one of the cheapest around!

I find the dipping sauce to be on the salty side, so I would usually not have any with my duck.  But the fresh chilli dip...I want!  The fresh and tangy chilli dip goes very well with the duck.  [#Note: However, sometimes I do detect a hint of bitterness in the chilli sauce and that's because they've added lime skins into the mix.  Lime zest is great coz it brings an intense citrus flavour but if you're not careful and you cut too deep into the lime skin, you get the white pith which tastes bitter.]  You also get a bowl of complimentary soup and the rice is just plain white rice (not complimentary though).

As usual, we would always order a plate of greens to accompany our duck and I like the simple Stir Fry "Yau Mak" with "Fu Yue" @ RM8.  The "yau mak" (romaine or cos lettuce) that is stir fried with "fu yue" (fermented bean curd) and bird's eye chillies is crunchy (with a hint of heat) and delicious.  They also do a respectable stir-fry mushroom dish that I often order as well.

My Personal Opinion

BBQ Kong Meng is definitely a roast duck specialist and ranks among some of the best roast duck restaurants in KL...a must-try if you love roast ducks ;-)

It's my favourite roast duck simply for 3 reasons.....1) crispy skin, 2) tender meat and 3) not too fatty.

I've eaten their other roasted meat like siew yoke and char siew but they're no where near good, so I would give that a miss and just stick with the duck!

Restoran BBQ Kong Meng
No 11 Lorong Bunga Melati 2A
Taman Maju Jaya
56100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-9282 4818

Vietnam Kitchen @ Cheras Leisure Mall

There aren't a lot of (decent) food options in this mall other than the ones we'd usually go to like Chicago Rib House, Sakae Sushi and this....Vietnam Kitchen @ Cheras Leisure Mall.

Actually, I've eaten here many times but don't have any photos to show for it coz that was before I started blogging.  So, the food showcased here are the ones from my recent 2 trips to this place.

We decided to have rice with dishes for our dinner and went with Set C (that was meant for 4 - 5 pax) @ RM79.90 coz the dishes in the other sets didn't 'attract' us as much...but, wait....before *you roll your eyes*...my family said they were super hungry, so I wasn't worried about ordering this 'big' set.

The first dish to arrive was the Peppered Prawns.  This had quite a bit of heat to it from the de-shelled prawns being fried with lots of black pepper, bits of chillies and spring onions. 

Although the flavour was nice, it was too salty for me but it was my son's favourite dish as he has a very high salt tolerance level + he actually loves salty food.

The Vietnamese Sesame Chicken was ok (a bit like sweet and sour)...it was my least favourite of all the dishes.

The Seafood Beancurd that came next was pretty good as I enjoyed the smooth, soft silken house made tofu.  It came sitting in a sauce topped with bits of minced chicken, mushroom, fried shallots and spring onions. 

I really liked the Lemongrass Fish Fillet as the fish was tender, with a distinct lemongrass flavour, and came with a dipping sauce.

The shreds of fried lemongrass on top added fragrance and freshness to the dish but, if you're not a fan of this herb (like my son), you might find its lemongrass flavour overpowering.  I didn't...coz I love lemongrass!

The final dish to round up this set was the Stir-fried Eggplant with Belacan & Dried Shrimps.  The eggplant was fried with onions, spring onions and red chillies with the dried shrimps and "belacan" (dried shrimp paste) lending flavour and saltiness that the dish needed.  We liked this one too.

You would think that they would at least include rice with the set...but, no, we had to pay RM2.20 for each bowl of rice :(

On a separate visit, we opted for individual orders but soon realised that the individual sets (that used to come with an appetiser, soup and vegetables) were no longer on the menu.  My son had the Seafood Fried Rice @ RM15.90 with bits of egg, tofu, fish cakes, vegetables and some good-sized prawns.  No complaints here as fried rice is always a crowd-pleaser kind of dish.

My spouse ordered the Lemongrass Chicken Vermicelli with Fried Spring Rolls @ RM14.90.  If you're one who likes a lot of fresh vegetables on your plate, then you'll surely enjoy this.  It had bean sprouts, carrot, cucumber, iceberg lettuce and mint leaves, topped with sprinkled chopped nuts and an accompaniment of a sweetish-sourish sauce dip.  It was light and refreshing on the taste buds.

The dish came topped with 2 Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls filled with ground meat (tasted like pork to me), wood ear fungus and carrot.  These Fried Spring Rolls (and the Sugarcane Prawns) are always my favourites when dining at Vietnamese eateries...and the ones here are pretty decent, just not as good as the ones from Royale Vietnam.

For me, I've always enjoyed a good bowl of pho and couldn't resist ordering their Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup @ RM17.90.  It had thick slices of beef, beef balls and a generous amount of chopped spring onions.

It was served with condiments of bean sprouts, fresh red chillies, Vietnamese mint leaves, a wedge of lime and an accompanying sauce.

I would throw everything into my bowl of pho except the mint leaves, of course...hate those :(  It was a decent bowl of pho...the flat rice noodles were thin and smooth, the beef slices tender, but the broth was slightly lacking for me.

I had Watermelon Juice @ RM7.90 on my first visit.  This was exactly how it looked like...not filled to the brim....when it arrived at the table (and, no, I didn't take a sip before taking the pic).  This didn't impress me at all...if you don't want to give your customers a large serving or look "kedekut" (stingy), for god's sake, use a smaller glass!!

On my next visit, I ordered this Orange Juice @ RM7.90...and it was filled to the top (looks like they have wised up)....they used a smaller glass this time! :D

Although I'm a coffee drinker, Vietnamese coffee is one I would never order at a Vietnamese restaurant.  I was once gifted with some Vietnamese coffee that my sister-in-law bought from Vietnam (when she holidayed there)...and I disliked it immensely! :'(

My Personal Opinion

If you're looking for a fuss-free, fairly authentic Vietnamese meal, this could well serve that purpose.

Flavour-wise, the food is just good enough to be acceptable but price-wise, it's very affordable!

Vietnam Kitchen

L2-26-01 Cheras Leisure Mall
Jalan Manis 6 Taman Segar
Cheras
56100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-9130 9530